IMAX Theater seeks funds for improvements

Alamogordo Daily NewsBy John Bear, Staff Writer

Posted:
01/07/2013 06:14:07 PM MST

A proposed injection of quality-of-life money from the city of Alamogordo would allow the IMAX theater to upgrade to digital equipment, which city leaders hope will result in an increased tourist presence at the theater and nearby space museum.

The Clyde W. Tombaugh IMAX Theater and Planetarium has been using projection equipment installed in 1983, which will become obsolete as the film industry moves to a digital-based format.

Cathy Harper, public relations director for the New Mexico Museum of Space History, which operates the theater, said the theater will be forced to use aging film prints as the industry moves away from large format film.

"As they continue to be used, they will deteriorate," Harper said. "At some point, there just won't be any."

A city commission agenda report shows that a $300,000 contribution from the city would help the theater keep in line with changes in the film industry and reduce the cost of acquiring film prints from $20,000 to $5,000 a piece.

The agenda report, prepared by mayor Susie Galea, states that the upgrades to the building will increase the number of visitors to the theater and museum, the end result being increased tourism dollars coming into Alamogordo.

Documents show that visitors to the museum have declined sharply in the last two decades. In 1991 and 1992, the museum averaged 200,000 visitors. Last year, there were only about 75,000.

Harper said the museum, as well as most state agencies, have seen a drop in funding that makes upgrades to facilities difficult.

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The decrease in attendance results in an estimated $6.29 million loss in revenue coming into Alamogordo, records show.

According to an agenda report, the drop in attendance is directly related to the drop in funding, which resulted in an inability to upgrade equipment, repair and maintain the facility, hire enough staff and renovate exhibits.

Harper said an infusion of the cash from the city will help her outfit leverage more funding from other sources.

She said the theater upgrade will allow for more and improved educational programs. The theater can be used for non-space related activities such as film festivals and private use, she said.

"The conversion will give us the opportunity to provide more services to the public," Harper said, adding that the theater upgrade is just one of several improvements the museum wants to do in the coming years.Reach John Bear at jbear@alamogordonews.com or Twitter at @johnbearwithme